The Emerald Island
by Heaven O. Waits
Summary: Continuation of You May Now Kiss The Bride, a Catwoman Selina Kyle and Batman Bruce Wayne saga.  Inspired by When In Rome by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale  warning of adult content- or  Citrusy with Lemoncello     .
1. Chapter 1

~The Emerald Island~

~1~

They wave goodbye to all their friends and turn their backs to Solerno as they drift off toward Ischia. It is over 40 kilometers to get to Ischia so Bruce decided to charter the only boat available at a moments notice. If not for the The Captain Morgan they would have to head back to Naples. The boat arrives and turns as if heading toward Mount Vesuvius but any direction you go the great Mount can be seen.

Upon arrival Bruce clasps Selina's hand as she steps out of the boat onto the tiny dock. Welcome to our new home! Villa Isabella!" he says. Selina gasps. "You bought the resort?"

"I did. It is a wise investment Selina and something also for us to return to as a family with Helena!"

"Wow!" She screams walking down the dock eyeing the massive hotel.

Bruce kisses her hand "The villa is associated with the film industry dates from the 1950s, when the movie and publishing icon Angelo Rizzoli built Albergo. Famous celebrities like Richard Burton, Liz Taylor,Charlie Chaplin, Clark Gable and William Holden stayed here and even the movie Cleopatra and The Talented Mr Ripley were filmed nearby. Now more recent visitors included Clare Danes, Val Kilmer, Hillary Swank and Matt Damon visit Ischia also known as the green island We now have seven separate dwellings for rental."

"You never cease to amaze me!" Selina giggles.

"Well this is just part of our honeymoon!"

"Oh. what else do you have planned?"

"You will have to wait and see he says as they approach a table for two overlooking the ocean by the thermal pool. He has had someone leave them mimosas. Bruce grins as he thinks about the flat nearby Castello Argonese where he plans to take her to the tower to sleep. He purchased all three, money was not an option and being within close proximty to his villa made sense for additional income. The apartments can be rented for 1630 to 2180 euros a night and that money he puts back into The Museums of Florence Fund.

They raise their glasses toward the other causing a echoed clink off the Italian crystal as they take their first sip of togetherness, just the two of them.

Bruce points toward the neighboring town and lifts up the cold bottle of Champagne. "That was once the Saint Maria onsolzione Monastery now known as the Albergo and beside it is the Castello Argonese. Today there is a hotel, a museum and a beautiful castle garden. I made sure our surroundings would remain intact."

"It is beautiful here!" Selina lifting her champagne flute slowly for another sip.

"Yes Ischia was the first island the Greeks settled on. It is rich with history, many legends and not to mention praised for its world famous hot springs. The once active volcano Monte Epomeo has not erupted since the year 1301."

Bruce sits down holding his champagne glass. "The volcano still brings us the wonderful springs and even our pool is heated naturally."

They turn to face Isabella. "It is breathtaking." Bruce turns to her and puts the glass down. "You are breathtaking." He stands facing her looking down. "They call Ischia the Emerald Island." He leans and places a strand of emeralds around her neck in the center is a giant opal of greens and blues like the water around them and of the pinks and reds of the sunrise above.

Selina gasps almost dropping her drink. She sets it down touching the stones lying now on her neck.

Bruce smiles then bends down on one knee and touches her hair softly. Ischia is famous for its Opals. It is one of the most legendary of stones. I hope you like it. It is one they say is of fire and of ice.

"I do! It's beautiful!"

She leans forward and kisses him deeply.

Bruce sits back down and grabs him drink. "I am glad you are pleased. I cannot brag of the work involved at the Villa. The refurbishment started back in the 1950's all the way up until now. But I can say that I knew this would be a place we could call home when in Italy! Welcome home my dear!"

Selina kicks off her wedding shoes and sighs. "Ahhh It is great to be home!" She grabs his hand and stares out at the tranquil crystal blue ocean.

"Never in a million years would I have pictured this!"  
>Bruce squeezes her hand tight. He unbottons his jacket and reaches inside. "Your father wanted me to give you this." He hands her a large envelope. "I still cannot get over that he is your biological father."<p>

Selina snatches the envelope quickly and tears it open while saying " I can't either. But he is my..." Her eyes go wide as she stares at a ton of money and two pieces of paper. She reads outloud:  
>My dearest daughter,<br>Know that you were always in my thoughts. I made sure that you and your mother would always be taken care of. You are my brightest joy and my only sorrow was that I did not marry her. I know this may be hard for you to understand, but I sent her away for her own safety. She thought that it was that I did not love her but the truth was that I loved her so much that I had no choice but to let her go. I was at that time involved in things that could harm her. I also as a Sicilian not permitted to marry anyone other than a true Sicilian. It is tradition and now as an old man I realize traditions are wrong, lots of things are wrong. She was the only thing that was ever right. She was perfect, an angel, my love. I know I can never make up for my absence but hope that you will accept me into you life and take this small token of my appreciation for us being reunited.

warmest wishes,  
>Carmine<p>

Selina scoots closer. "I..I cant believe this! She shakes her head. I think I am beginning to understand what caused all my problems as a child."

Bruce leans closer. "Go on."

" I didn't have the best of a childhood." She bites her lip and takes another sip of her drink.

Bruce tries to whisper with his deep voice. "You dont have to talk about it if you are not ready?"

"No. I will tell you some things, get them off my chest. I will just tell you that my mother and father seemed once were very happy. Like what we are now. My mother really tried to be a good wife and a good mother but even as a child, knew something was wrong. She always wanted more. I am alot like her."

Bruce nods and pats her hand for her to go on.

"She was a perfectionist. Any task she undertook, she mastered and anything she amassed she researched to make sure it was the best that money could buy. That was when my father realized he couldn't keep up with her lavish wants. He tried to make her happy. And she did try. She would pretend to be...but she was once a star, she was once a cosmoplitan, she would fly across the world on a whim. That was where she met my father and they fell in love. Back then though the two could live as gypsies. She earned more than she could spend and he had amassed a great deal of wealth. She was the star ballerina. People would flock to see her. She had to put the toe shoes away for a bit. No one would pay to see a pregant woman in a tutu. But now I see just like with myself, that her lifestyle became an obsession. She was doing that as a distraction. She was trying to forget her pain...She was trying to forget Carmine..But then I came along. a daily secret reminder of the two of them. I always wondered why I never looked like my dad, never seemed to fit in. I wonder if he knew? I know Maggie is theirs, but not me...

Bruce tugs at her hand making her look at him.  
>"Selina, you cannot blame yourself for how things turned out. You were a gift to them, you were a blessing to Maggie, and later to Holly, to all that really know you...you became a blessing to me."<p>

Selina turns her head away and tries not to cry.

"She..she killed herself. She killed herself..she was so unhappy. I tried so hard...she starts to sob.

Bruce jumps and hold her. His mind is running back all the information she just gave. He kisses the top of her head. "How old were you?"

"I was thirteen."

Bruce sighs and wipes her face.

"Why? What are you thinking now?"

Bruce stares back into her eyes. "I think you know."

"Know what?"

"I don't know for sure... I am just wondering now that if Carmine feared for her life..."

Selina gasps. "yes he wrote that!"

Bruce brushes her soft hair back from her face.

Bruce frowns. "Perhaps your mother was at the wrong place at the wrong time. Perhaps they may have been after you. You were too young to remember what happened. I am sure the police just ruled it a suicide...but perhaps it was staged."

"Staged? why? and why would anyone be after me?

"Selina, Carmine is a very wealthy man. If he chose to leave you with a vast fortune then perhaps someone wanted to take you out of the equation."


	2. Chapter 2

~2~

He spins the dial to see what she is holding. Just when he gets it focused, she puts it away. He pans up to her face. She looks lovely with her hair now spilling lose. He has not seen her face in many years. He admires her beauty for a second. He looks across to the man she is talking to in what appears to be a very lengthy conversation. He crosses his legs slowly on the top floor on the Albergo.

Salvatore Moroni sets his binoculars down on the Italian marble table. His bodyguard leans down suddenly with the flick of flint. Salvatore sucks on his cognac dipped cigar and exhales slowly. One thing this crime lord has learned is the value of patience. He waves the body guard away and brushs one giant ruby pinky fingered hand across his crisp Kiton K-50 pinstriped pants. He lifts back up the cigar and blows out a smoky wisped whispered word in thick Italian.

" Principessa."

Sal snaps his finger. The body guard scrambles back out to the terrace.

"Yes boss?"

"Make a few calls. I want to be sure the Camorra get a present from me from the Stidda while I am visiting. Order a few cases of my best cigars and wine and have them sent over now."

"Yes boss."

Salvatore waves the burly guard away and finishes his cigar deep in thought. He stares out toward the direction of the sea. His mind travels back to his childhood. To the old country. He recalls playing bocce out in the alley behind his father's estate with some of the local children when he hears loud shots and his body guard grabs him and takes cover behind a car.

He was too young then to realize who had called the hit. He was just glad that he was still alive. He was too young then to know what his father really did. He only knew people loved his father. They came to him for help. His father was generous, his father was fair. People from all over came to visit. They would all kiss his hand. He did however realize that with that also came consequences and someone had tried to kill his father.

Young Sal was his father's favorite son. His father had hoped unlike his older brother who wanted very much to be a part of the family business that he would not have to know the darker side of the trade. He saw in the boy's eyes so much goodness. It would break his heart to ever turn an angel into a devil.

He encouraged both boys to learn a decent trade. To learn wine-making. Sal had made him proud yet again. His vineyard became one of Italy's most reknown. One night after the women had gone into the kitchen to clean up, he along with his older brother and Uncle had sat up late talking and drinking. It was the first and the last time he heard everything explained.

The boy had asked about their past. Tell me how you grew up. Tell me about grandpa and grandmama.  
>His father has said "It all started around 1812. Back then only the royalty owned the land. There came a huge war when they abolished primogeniture. The land now would not be heired . They did away with all the land seizures. Too many people were losing their land to the nobles. They made it so that their land could not be siezed to settle debts. The last thing they changed was that one fifth of the land would become the private property of the peasants."<p>

His brother added "That's where grandpa came in."

The father frowned.

"Ohh sorry Pahpah."

Their father had cleared his throat and continued " You see the people thought at first it would be easy to just go back and get what they had been returned or keep what is there own but war broke out over rights. The town could not enforce, police it, bandits would pillage. Small villages heard rumors of two brothers who were not afraid of anything. Two men who would get things done. These two men could settle the disputes. These men would hunt down the theives. The best part was their terms.

Their father looked toward the Uncle as he grabbed a drink and waved his hand for him to finish.

The Uncle scooted his chair up and slid his glasses up the bridge of his nose " There terms were simple. A pardon from the theives and a fee for the victims."

Sal had asked "Why a pardon?"

The older men had laughed.

"Because stupid. Most of these thieves were their friends. It is best remain neutral to both sides. You never know when you need a friend."

"I see." young Sal had said.

Then the Uncle looked at him seriously. "You can never break your word from the family. It is this thing that is ours. We are men of honour for we do what others cannot not. To turn on a brother means you are now alone. You will never be welcomed back into the fold. Our Omerta is silence is golden. You never break your word. You would rather die." 


	3. Chapter 3

~3~

Carmine Falcone eats is breakfast in silence. He sips his espresso and wipes his chin tossing his napkin on the table.  
>Suddenly a body guard appears and says that he has a visitor.<br>Carmine asks "Who?"  
>"He says his name is Giacomo sir."<p>

He leans back in his chair and closes his eyes for a few moments then leans back with eyes wide open. He look angry, he looks irate. "Ask him what he wants."

The bodyguard returns and says "He said he came to help!"

"Help?" Carmine laughs. "Remind him that I have helped him plenty and throw him out! Tell him he is not to be seen anywhere near me."

Shouts were heard and then garbled words. Carmine stands and walks down to the foyer. He leans toward the door and hears a muffled voice scream " ...but he is here! I saw hiiiiim!

He motions for the bodyguard to drop the thin man. "Saw who?"

He runs and bends down on one knee and kisses his hand. Carmine stares down at Giacomo then flits his hand for him to move.

"Help me? How can you help me? You should not even be here. You are being watched!  
>"Please just let me tell you who is here. I came to help!" Giacomo begs. Carmine shrugs. "We are old friends. I came to you as I have news. News that you will want to hear. I came to help you. I came to warn you."<p>

Carmine laughs then points for the body guard to stop and hold the skinny man. "Yes..yes I got that part. Now warn me of what and from whom?"

"Sal has followed you here."

Carmine puts up his hand for the bodyguard. "Let him stay." he says. The thin man stands now straightening his rumpled suit. Carmine ushers him out to the balcony.

"Get him a drink, you may sit. Now tell me what you know."

The two talk for over an hour. Giacomo leaves with a smile now from Carmine who walks him toward the door.

"Thank father for your forgiveness and kisses his hand."

Carmine stares out the window at Giacomo Medetti walking to his vehicle. He recalls how they had first met. He was once a reknowned art dealer. He and Carmine have been business partners for years. There were certain means to make a great deal of business in antiquities. Art experts had estimated over 15 billion has been paid out for stolen antiquities. One such venture had netted him over ten million for items from Naples, another for a statue of Aphrodite and the last job was a mess. It involved a statue of Apollo. Giacomo had gone soft...Giacomo got sloppy. Carmine had repaid his favor in full as Giacomo instead of spending ten years in jail was now free pending appeal of the Getty Scandal.

But now all that is water under the all that matters is what Sal is up to.

Carmine was rumored to have forbidden any items of Christianity to his interest. He as a Catholic felt it would be sacriligious to "buy" or "barter" with such items as if the very commandments of thou shall not kill did not apply. He gained a bit of blessings along the way for his re-coverings amidst his covert buys and rumoured hesits. Some such items were the ten masterpieces stolen from the halls of Santo Spirito is Sassia. He also became close to leaders of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities in Italy as well as the very Prime Minister of Italy that he called simply Sil.

Carmine was torn into why Sal was following him personally. Usually he would have his paid people tail him. It tore at his insides when he thought of Selina. Carmine will not allow any harm to come to her. He had feared this day would come. For this kind of protection he needs help.

Carmine grabs the bag from the out of breath body guard. He pulls out lemon juice, a paint brush, stationary from the hotel, pencil, one round mirror with a handle and envelope. He tells everyone "scram!" and writes some notes down on the paper with a pencil. A becomes X and B becomes Y and C becomes Z. He He slowly dips the brush in the lemon juice and writes jbbqfkd qlijoolt xq pqxqflk and then signs at the bottom Michelle M. The cipher is known only to his closest friends for safety.

He stands and grabs his jacket. He has his chauffer drive him to forio. Two bodyguards walk with him up the twenty Pipernio steps to the entrance of the Soccorso Church. He stands looking down at the piazza then turns to face the five crosses and majolica's of over seven hundred saints and scenes of the passion of Christ. He tell the body guards to wait for him outside.

He dips his hand in the cold bowl and enters in silence. He walks to the left of the chapel toward the confessional.  
>He sits holding his head down in his hands. "Forgive me father for I have sinned. It has been...It has been...a while since my last confession."<p>

Through the screen a voice whispers. "Go on my son."  
>Carmine says "but I sold my soul father."<br>A rustle echos "Is that you?"  
>"Yeah..now listen.. I think someone is onto us."<br>"Who?"  
>"Sal is here. I am not sure if he knows our little secret or is just snooping into my daughter's wedding but either way we need to move it for safety."<br>"I will get together with the Templars immediatly for the move."  
>"Sure you do not want to confess any of your sins while you are here Carmine?"<br>"No GOD already knows all my sins. I came for help from you and the boys."  
>"I see. "<br>"Have them all meet back here same time tomorrow."

Sounds of shuffling echo off the tiny cubicle. Carmine sits in silence. He bows his head in silence then begins to whisper out all the things he has done...for once doesn't hide his faults. He tells it all. He starts from the beginning up until now. He sits in dispair as a tear rolls down his cheek.

"We are all children of God. He loves us all. You have sinned greatly but there is no sin that cannot be forgiven."

"Hey I thought you were gone!"

"A shephard of the flock, are never are gone. We look after all our lost sheep. It was I after all Carmine, that took you under my wing as a small boy...to try to teach you the right path."

"Father my sins shall not be forgiven. Who are we kidding here? I just want my daughter safe and our secret moved. I thought that I neede to pray, that maybe just this once I could ask God a favor. I know he doesn't owe me a thing. I have already sold my soul... But she is an angel like her mother. Yes, once long ago, I did something very right and she was born. I want her to be looked after when I am gone."

"I will do my very best, my son."

The two men step out into the atrium and make the sign of the cross and kneel staring up at the wall where Jesus lay prostrate. His eyes looks down at them with a sad sorrow.

Behind him is a fresco of the scene of angels and saints. The men stare past Jesus now to the Fresco. It is massive. It is old. The men stare up stricken now with pain. It is beautiful, but it was only placed there high above the walls as a facade. It was placed there to hide something very old, something priceless. Behind it lies The Battle of Anghiari.

The Templars had began their establishments in Italy. They spread quickly to Bareltta, to Matera, to Brindisi, to Foggia. Carmine knew about Hugo de Paganis from Naples. (1)

"God help us." they whisper.

(1) The Italian Who Founded The Templars of L'italiano Che Fondo Templari by Mario Moiraghi.


	4. Chapter 4

~4~

Bruce senses her angst and runs and kneels holding her tight. He kisses her forehead. She responds by tilting her head causing her raven locks to cascade spilling back across her bare shoulders. She looks up up longingly into his eyes. He leans closer for a kiss from his blushing bride. Their lips meet simultaneosly as the sinequanon commences. They press closer, arms knotted and bodies mashed tight to feel the other. She pulls at his hair as he grabs her soft shoulders thrusting her against his body. His hands travel instinctively down her back. He feels for a way in. He cannot find it. He rubs his hands down to her plump buttock and squeezes as her tongue reacts meeting his with a eager slither and soft rumbling purr.

He lifts her up and carries her in his arms as she paws at his jacket. He holds her now with one arm and lets the jacket hang. She rips at it in a frenzy. He pauses pulling back from the kiss and juggles her into the other arm and manages to wiggle the jacket off. Her lustful fiery green eyes now scan down his chest as she tears at his shirt buttons popping them off one by one. She slides her claws across his warm muscled flesh leaving marks while licking hungrily down his neck. He tries to keep his footing. He tries to remain calm and assertive. He tells himself to focus. He tells himself to take it easy. He gets side-tracked again as she softly sucks a tiny trail up his neck and slides her moist tongue into his ear while whispering ...  
>"I want to feel you inside me."<p>

His knees give a slight wobble as he heads quickly toward the Villa. Her veil flies off in this hurried gate and he almost bumps into the doorway carrying her over the threshold but remains steadfast to his goal.

She starts to purr in his ear as his free hand now slowly touches her breast over the gown. The corset top is skin tight on her and not held together by a zipper. He frowns as feels the front and sides as her hands slide over his pectoral muscles and down toward his ribs causing him to become even more aroused. He tries once again to stay focused at every obstacle in front of him while trying to figure out the mystery of the dress. He moves his hands slowly and meticulously over her round supple breasts searching for the other side. His brow arches ever so slightly while they kiss. (He has figured it another way in! ) He moves his hand slowly up the bottom of her skirt feeling the soft silk of her thigh highs. Her toned legs feel incredible to his inquistive fingertips.

He takes the first step up the massive stairwell with ease. She arches her back in response to his hand inching further up her inner thigh. He feels the lace of the top of her hose and follows the soft strap of her garter upward as she rips at his belt with a soft moan. He feels her wandering hands touch his groin sending a surge of warmth and tingling to his lower region sustaining a ever growing bulkness. Her trembling fingers grip him through the soft fabric causing him to lean against the bannister for a better foothold. He lunges his strong legs taking two steps at a time up.

He uses all the strength of his right arm to hoist her up into the air for a moment then back down into a tighter hold as he adjusts his stance and slides his hands up reaching the softness of delicate silken panties...( Two more steps.)

She glides her baby-soft hands deep inside his trousers kneading and caressing his warming flesh slowly up and down like a kitten to its mother... (Two more steps.)

His strong determined fingers trace the edges of silk only for a second then thrust inside the confines of a much warmer softer area...(two more steps.)

She sucks at his tongue as his fingers slowly rub her softly in dazing stokes. She parts her mouth and squeezes tighter with her grip. He responds by touching her more...(two more steps.)

Her hand clinches down harder as she bites her lip. He rubs her faster.  
>"I love it when you pet the kitty!" she rumbles in a low soft purring with her full lips parted combined with soft panting...(two more steps.)<p>

He feels her grip tighten as he tries not to fall back. Her magical hands glide and twist. He tries not to become a puppet on strings as she masters his bodies desires...He looks up in worry as a bead of sweat now appears on his forehead. (God. she knows how to make me...with just her...hand...stay focused!...two more damn steps!)  
> <p>


End file.
